Trishorton Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 Hi there I am fairly to carnivorous plants, and last year purchased 2 nepenthes from our local garden centre. One of them has produced a flower spike this year. Some guy at a carnivorous plant talk told me I should cut off any flower spikes on carnivorous plants or the plant would die. First of all, is this true, and secondly is this a male flower spike? Also, the plant is growing rather fast and has a number of offsets around the base as well as growing points on the main stems. Can I cut these off to make new plants, and how do I rot cuttings? Thanks for any help. Trish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trishorton Posted July 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2013 I have just noticed that there is a second flower spike on the same plant. As soon as it is more visible, I will post another photo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manders Posted July 12, 2013 Report Share Posted July 12, 2013 Hi, i think its male. The plant wont die if you leave it on, its quite common for neps to have several flower spikes at the same time. Sometimes plants that are allready dieing will throw out a spike as a last ditched attempt to reproduce but thats not what is happening on your plant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maciej Stelmach Posted July 12, 2013 Report Share Posted July 12, 2013 I'd be more concerned about your plant not having any pitchers, at least I can't see any on the picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trishorton Posted July 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2013 It does have a couple of pitchers around the other side of the flower spike, but they are not very big. Last years shrivelled up and I cut them off. I should probably have left them on, I know. I guess it is putting more energy into producing flowers at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maciej Stelmach Posted July 13, 2013 Report Share Posted July 13, 2013 I'm not experienced when it comes to Nepenthes so I can't give you any solid information if the flowers cause lesser pitchers development. There's also possibility that low humidity makes pitchers wither. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trishorton Posted July 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2013 It now has a third flower spike so I suspect that has a bearing on the pitcher production. There are a number of pitchers forming at the ends of the new leaves. I spray the plants three or four times a day to keep up the humidity. I often also hang them outside in rain showers, as long as it is not a torrential downpour! I also hang them outside most days as it gets so hot in the conservatory, although not as hot as the greenhouse! Trish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoLongFairWell Posted July 16, 2013 Report Share Posted July 16, 2013 My ventricosa is living outside while we've this good weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trishorton Posted July 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 Brilliant. I was beginning to think that I was maybe doing everything wrong – no criticism intended, I am glad for all the advice and comments. Do you leave your ventricosa out all night as well? I haven’t left my plants out all night so far in case the winds get up! Trish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trishorton Posted July 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 Brilliant. I was beginning to think that I was maybe doing everything wrong – no criticism intended, I am glad for all the advice and comments. Do you leave your ventricosa out all night as well? I haven’t left my plants out all night so far in case the winds get up! Trish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoLongFairWell Posted July 17, 2013 Report Share Posted July 17, 2013 Well highland plants like a nice drop in night temperature and the days are much warmer at the minute and the night is down to 15c so it's great. The weather app on my phone says humidity is quite high too but I still spray it once or twice a day. Actually I just checked and today's humidity is showing as 56% which isn't so good. in the great weather it's showing as about 75%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trishorton Posted July 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2013 I've started leaving mine out at night, and they seem to be thriving on it. I have now cut off the flower spikes in the hope that Rebecca Soper will start to produce more pitchers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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